Oakgrove Integrated College scooped three of the top prizes at this year’s BT Young Scientist & Technology competition: Best Project in Northern Ireland, second prize for Junior Biology and the Matrix Award for Best School in Northern Ireland. (more…)

Portadown Integrated Nursery School is delighted to announce an increase in the number of pre-school places that are available for September 2013, and each year after, from 26 full time to 52 full time places. A full time day at the school means that children can avail of quality pre-school education form 9.00am to 1.15pm Monday to Friday.

At present there are still a few places available for September 2013. If you wish to arrange an appointment to speak with the Principal to see our facilities and discuss admissions criteria you will be very welcome.

Geraldine Hughes, Hollywood and Broadway star, has been back in Belfast on a visit and made time to meet drama students from integrated schools at the MAC theatre. Geraldine, known for roles in films such as Rocky Balboa and Gran Torino, has recently been performing in “Cyrano de Bergerac” in New York with Douglas Hodge. She is a patron of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF).

The star led an informal workshop for the young actors, who are members of the Nitty Gritty Theatre Company. The company is directed by former New-Bridge Integrated College teacher Andrea Grimason. Nitty Gritty is supported by a bursary from the Carson Awards scheme, administered through the IEF and funded by the family of Frank Carson.

Geraldine says “It’s lovely to see the energy and commitment of these young people, who are producing original drama to explore the issues facing them in modern life. I’m glad there are programmes like the Carson Awards which encourage this kind of creativity and let us see the talent which is being nurtured in integrated schools in Northern Ireland.”

Geraldine shared the story of her early life in Belfast and her career in the USA. The students made the most of the opportunity to learn about theatre and film techniques and talked about their own ambitions and hopes for the future.

Brenda McMullen, Principal of Cliftonville Integrated Primary School, has been recognised for her efforts to create an inclusive school with a special honour at the Belfast Media Group’s “Blackboard Awards”. The awards recognise the hard work and achievements of teachers making a real difference to children’s lives, and Brenda was singled out as a “community champion”.

Shimna Integrated College’s Sharing Languages, Sharing Cultures (SLSC) programme is now in its sixth year. The programme means that for six years primary school children in the South Down area have been learning languages together in shared classes as part of their regular, normal, weekly learning. The response from the children, their parents and the local communities has been hugely supportive, so much so that the project has expanded each year from an initial 156 pupils from 10 schools receiving shared language lessons in 2007 to 371 pupils from 16 schools in 2012.

SLSC has been made possible through funding very generously provided by Atlantic Philanthropies and in the most recent three years by Dr Gerard O’Hare as well as support from Queen’s University and the Integrated Education Fund. The funding was provided to allow Shimna Integrated College to prove the value of an opportunity for children in local, rural, single identity schools with values deeply rooted in their community to learn together and to learn languages.

Shared education and early language learning are two very positive priorities of the Department of Education and we would ask for your signature in support of our petition for funding to mainstream the provision that has proved to be so effective.

Please sign the petition requesting the Minister of Education, John O’Dowd, to mainstream and fund the Sharing Languages Sharing Cultures programme.